Tredwell: Let's win series for Cook

Spinner James Tredwell believes England's players are determined to ease the pressure on captain Alastair Cook by sealing a series victory against Sri Lanka at Lord's on Saturday.

Cook drew heavy criticism after a tumultuous winter tour of Australia, which was followed by the decision to axe star batsman Kevin Pietersen from the international set-up.

England are in a strong position in the one-day internationals to start turning their fortunes around, however, leading Sri Lanka 2-1 in their first series against a Test-playing nation since coach Peter Moores took over from Andy Flower.

"The captain always takes the brunt of the criticism doesn't he, so it's on all of us to take the pressure off him," Tredwell said.

"If we can knit together as a group and perform as a team it will make his job easier. He can do whatever he likes in terms of leading us in the way he sees fit - it's on us all and we recognise that fighting together as a team will stand us in good stead."

It has been a topsy-turvy series so far.

England won the opening game by 81 runs but were cut down to size in the second as they were thrashed by 157 runs and bowled out for 99 at Durham.

However Moores' side restored their series advantage with a comprehensive 10-wicket win at Old Trafford, skittling Sri Lanka for just 67.

Tredwell insists the scorecard is only one measure of progress under the new regime but admits a triumph over Sri Lanka would give the squad a considerable boost.

"With anything new you want to get off to a good start," Tredwell said.

"To get over the line in this game and start off on a high note with this series would be huge for this group and justify the things we're trying to do within it."

Tredwell added: "We've had that blip at Durham, we're putting things in place and we want to do things in a certain way.

"That's more of a reading of progress - if we're doing things outside of batting and bowling - that gives us a decent reading of how we're doing as a unit.

"If it doesn't quite come off at least you're trying to do it in the right way - that's more telling than the 'bowled out for 99' or whatever it may be."

Tredwell has enjoyed a steady series so far, taking six wickets including two cheap dismissals of Sri Lankan dangerman Mahela Jayawardene.

The 32-year-old off-spinner is unlikely to be considered for England's Test side this summer but Tredwell has not given up hope.

"I hope I can put my name forward - I'm the guy that is in front of the coaches and Alastair Cook day in, day out," said Tredwell, who has previously played one Test match against Bangladesh in 2010.

"Hopefully the way I go about it and the things I do in training and in matches keep my name out there.

"It's not ideal that I haven't been playing four-day cricket but I'm in front of the coaches and hopefully that stands me in decent stead."

Tredwell has been replaced as Kent captain and has lost his place as first-choice off-spinner, with 22-year-old Adam Riley coming through this season.

He praised Riley's "temperament" and "cricket brain", while admitting he has struggled recently to adapt to the changing formats.

"There's a slightly different skill-set for the two types of games and that's where I've struggled a little bit," Tredwell said. "Coming back into four-day games it's not easy to switch from one to the other.

"You fully immerse yourself and want to perform as well as you can for your country so to be able to flip from one to the other I've found particularly difficult."